Mission Statement

From early history to the present day, the Catholic Church has established a rightful place in the educational work of society and based its mission upon these claims.

Jesus himself was a teacher and his ministry embraced all peoples in all walks of life.

His example requires the Church to serve the individual and the wider community.  Education is an important part of the service which the Church provides.

The Church has to be active in the public educational process and concerned with the view of humanity which has a need for education.

Here at Saints Gabriel and Raphael Catholic School, we strive to ensure that the school is Christ centred. It is a community of faith that seeks to promote the Gospel, that has concern for the whole child and where our pupils can learn, grow and develop.

Our mission “A Catholic Family Working and Learning Together,” encompasses strong links between Parish, home and school.

Catholic        a caring Christian community in action.

Family            we seek to provide a happy, loving welcoming secure environment rooted on Gospel values and the love of                                             Christ.

Working        doing our best with the abilities we have.

Learning       we seek to provide a broad, balanced whole curriculum permeated with Catholic ethos.            

Together       we do our best to identify, develop and share our God –given talents with one another so that EVERY                                             individual is developed to the full.

We are an Easter people, redeemed and made whole by the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This faith in Jesus Christ provides us with a Catholic educational belief which provides a secure educational philosophy within which we work.

• We believe that human beings have a divine origin and eternal destiny. All created in the image of God.
• We believe that each individual is both unique and equal to others, regardless of sex, nationality, colour, creed, class, intellectual ability or emotional, social or physical handicap.
• We believe that the whole person has responsibility to him/herself and the community and is not a lone isolated being.
• We believe that all people are shaped through a process of love and relationship with others.
• We believe that education is a gift from one person to another.  It takes place in communities, the home, the school, the parish and due to technology, from one side of the world to the other and beyond.

Any Catholic school should have a “distinctive nature” offering a view of the way of life in which beliefs are put into practice.  The distinctive features of Saints Gabriel and Raphael Catholic Primary School are based upon the Vision statement of the school which comes from the Gospel according to Saint John,

                                                            “to love God and to love each other.’

Catholic beliefs permeate all education decisions and certainly in the way we interpret the law, the policies and the way we react to policy.  The quality of our decisions and actions are not to be judged solely upon the ease with which they fit within our rights under the law but primarily by the way with which they reside within the principles and values of our faith.  This establishes and important difference between Catholic schools and other schools.

Saints Gabriel and Raphael Catholic School carries the moral obligation of example, sacrifice and witness in all its contracts within its locality and the Catholic community of the Rhondda.  This obligation requires us to support what is best for all those who send their children to our school.

• The obligation requires us to find an approach to curricular planning which recognises that the fundamental purpose of Catholic Education must be seen in action; in how the curriculum is organised, resourced, taught and recorded.
• The obligation requires us to develop, as teachers, so that we can offer the best to the children in our school.
• The obligation requires us to develop, as additional practitioners, so that we can offer the best to the children in our school.
• It requires the full co-operation between school and home, as it is the parents, who are the first to educate their children.

Finally, and the most importantly, the R.E. Programme must be distinctive both in what is taught, through rich liturgical provision, in good relationships and a fostering of the talents of those in the community. We aim to form young people who are not only academically accomplished but spiritually alert, aware of their culture and encouraged to be the best that they can be, striving for the highest expectations in all aspects of school life

Catholic Life of the School

“As a Catholic family, we will do our best to live and learn as Christ taught us.”

Catholic schools are established to be part of the Church’s mission in education, to place Christ and the teaching of the Catholic Church at the centre of people’s lives. Catholic schools are a place where children can encounter Jesus Christ and His love and truth. 

Ss. Gabriel and Raphael school is a friendly and nurturing environment with a strong sense of community. Children are encouraged to develop their spiritual, cultural and personal lives enabling them to flourish into well rounded individuals with values, motivations and aspirations.

Our Catholic faith is at the very heart of Ss Gabriel and Raphael and our faith is lived through daily experiences within our school, permeating every aspect of school life and rooted in Gospel values. We provide rich opportunities for children to encounter God and deepen their relationship with Him. Part of our mission is to evangelise, spreading God’s word and interacting with the local community, Parish, families and cultures.

Prayer and Worship

“When you pray, God listens. When you listen, God talks. When you believe, God works.”    (Unknown)

Prayer is an integral part of the school day at Ss Gabriel and Raphael and all children are invited to participate in their own personal way. We strive to help our children to value and recognise the importance and power of prayer. Prayer is an essential part of the Catholic life of our school as we put our mission statement into practice. Children are taught traditional prayers and they are introduced to a variety of ways to pray allowing them to spontaneously express their praise and thanks to God.

Each classroom has a display and sacred space to enable children to explore faith and spirituality in a safe, creative and interactive way. Children are able to interact with artefacts, images, prayer cards and Bibles within the areas. The areas change according to the Vine and Branches and Magister topic, the Church’s year or special feast day or month.

Meditation

‘Be still and know that I am God.’ (Psalm 46)

All children across the school participate in meditation regularly with a focus on being still and calm whilst in the presence of God. There is no right or wrong way to meditate and children of all ages are able to access it in their own, personal way.

Collective Worship

“God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.” (Mother Teresa)

Collective Worship is central to the life of our school.  We join as a school family every week for whole school worship. We pray together, share and hear the Good News, celebrate our talents and gifts and praise God through song. Children show reverence during worship and an atmosphere of reflection and stillness is created.

Children join together for communal prayer in Key stages (Foundation Phase / Key Stage 2) once a week. Children engage in Bible stories, Pupil virtues or explore Global issues.

Children are actively involved in planning and delivering some collective worships in their classrooms weekly.                                

Further celebrations include:

• Children invited to Class Masses at church each week.
• Phased termly Masses in church where pupils lead service
• Nativity
• Advent service
• Candle Lit Carol Service
• Ash Wednesday service – burning of palms and distribution of ashes
• Holy Week liturgies
• Passion Play (Dosbarth Gabriel)
• May Procession
• Penitential services
• Sacrament of Reconciliation
• Let’s say the Rosary together (May / October)